Flashlight holder



June 15, 1937. G. F. PACKARD FLASHLIGHT HOLDER I Filed March 30. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR GranvH/eF/Qzc/fam.

ATTORNEY June 15, 1937. G. F. PACKARD FLASHLIGHT HOLDER Filed March 50.. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A-E INVENTOR Gra/W/fle F/ ac/rard BY 4 a E SQ ATTORNEY Patented June 15, 1937 U BT 9;

STATES 2,084,162 FLASHLIGHT HOLDER Granville F. Packard, Forest Hills, Pa. Application March 30, 1934, Serial No. 718,155 7 Claims. (01. 248-5139) My invention relates to a holder, more particularly to means for holding small electric lamps of the portable type which are usually provided with a battery and appear on the market in a plurality of standard sizes.

One object of my invention is to provide for holding a flashlight in any position with reference to the base of the holder.

Another object of my invention is to provide for holding a flashlight in any angular position with reference to a base constituting a part of the holder.

Another object of my invention is to provide a flashlight holder that is simple in structure,

5 consisting of a minimum number of parts, that may be readily manufactured, and that shall be inexpensive.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a flashlight holder constructed of bent wire structures and other elements that are of standard make and may be readily purchased on the open market.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become more apparent from a study. of the following specification when such study is made in conjunction with the accompanying drawings constituting part of-the description of my invention, and, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates one embodiment of my invention showing a flashlight supported by the movable member thereof;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 showing the parts in collapsed position; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the subject matter shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3;

Fig. 5 is a modification of my invention showing the movable member in the form of a bent wire structure and the support as a plate;

somewhat similar to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, except that a spring structure is utilized to provide for the necessary frictional force for retaining the movable member in a given position;

Fig. 8 is a further modification of my invention showing a structure having only two parts; Fig. 9 is a detail of the frictional retaining means for the movable or adjustable member shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 shows a one piece metal plate provided with the necessary lines to show how my holder may be manufactured from a single piece of material;

Fig. 11 is an end View looking from the left toward the right of the modification shown in Fig. 12 and embodying a structure made from a single plate such as is indicated in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the subject matter shown in Fig. 11; and

Fig. 13 is a side view of the modification shown in Figs. 10, 11, and 12 showing the structure in collapsed position for transportation.

Frequently a user of a flashlight finds that he needs both hands to attend to the operations he is performing and thus finds it impossible to properly illuminate his working region. This is particularly distressing when some repair has to be made to an automobile at night.

My invention, as generally stated in the objects hereinbefore recited, provides a support for a flashlight, whereby the flashlight may be positioned on the ground, or floor, or hung on a part of an automobile, or hung on a suitable support or carried. like a lantern and the flashlight with the movable member of the structure may be so changed in position that the working region is properly illuminated.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, of the drawings, i designates a base formed of a single loop of wire, which may be rectangular, as shown, or have any other shape, as for instance the wire bail of a paint bucket. The base or bail i has a pair of eyelets bent at right angles to the plane of the bail, or base. A generally U-shaped member 2, constructed of a single piece of wire, is provided with a pair of eyelets 5 at the end portions of the U. These eyelets 5 areof substantially the same shape and size as the eyelets i of the base i. The U-shaped member, at the bight of the U, has an arcuate portion 8 bent at right angles to the plane of the U-shaped member. The U-shaped member is also provided with a pair of arcuate lugs or projections t near the mid-portions, of each leg of the U, which projections, in a sense, constitute merely a kink in the wire structure. The projections 6 extend in an opposite direction from the member 2from the arcuate portion 8.

The generally U-shaped member 2 is designed to conform in its dimensions to the dimensions of a standard flashlight. The bent portion e at the bight of the U constitutes a loop-like or hammock-like support for the flashlight without providing for a frictional engagement with the flash.

light, whereas the projections 6 grip the flashlight in such a manner as to firmly hold it in the support 8. It should be noted that the upper or outer ends of the projections 6 are above the center line of the flashlight 3 and, in view of their arcuate character, conform substantially to the circumferential dimension of the flashlight in the region of the projections to firmly hold the flashlight down against the arcuate supporting loop 8.

To adjustably mount the flashlight holder or U-shaped member 2 on the base I, a bolt 9 is passed through the eyelets 4 and 5 and through a spacing sleeve 1 held in position by thumb screw l0. By appropriate adjustment of the thumb screw ID a desirable frictional-engagement is effected between the eyelets 4 and 5 and the sleeve 1 so that the U-shaped member '2 maybe held in any adjusted position by a frictional force acting between the end of the bolt 9, the eyelets 4 and 5, the spacing sleeve 1 and the thumb screw I 0. The length of the spacing sleeve 1 is so selected with reference to the particular flashlight that is to be supported that the bottom of the flashlight could not pass through the U- shaped member 2 at or near the ends of the member. In other words, the distance between the substantially parallel side members of the U- shaped member 2 at or near the supportis less than the diameter of the flashlight. This structure clearly prevents the possibility of having the flashlight pivot about the outer or gripping ends of the lugs or projections :6, even though the distance between the side members ator near the supporting loop 8 may be greater than thediameter of the flashlight.

It should be noted that the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, when in the collapsed position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, may be very readily .transported, in fact may be placed in the side pocket of an automobile, the overcoat pocket of the user, or any other convenient place without taking up space unnecessarily.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the base II is a plate having anaperture I3 for suitably hanging the holder on a nail or hook. In the vmodification shown in Fig. 5 the dimensions of the sleeve 1 may be slightly greater than the dimensions of the sleeve 1 shown in Figs. .1, l2, 3, and 4 so that the flashlight can be passed :be-

tween the side members by flexing of theLU- .shaped member l2. The flashlight thus rests on the base II at the bottom, and at the outer end rests in the arcuate support l8. The side. members are provided with eyelets -l4 cooperating with the projections or lugs 15 of the plate H. By an appropriate adjustment of the screw 20, the necessary frictional force may be provided for holding the member l2 in any given angular position with reference to the base ll.

Some flashlights have metal cases that are fluted longitudinally thereof. To provi-de'for a firm gripping of the flashlight having such-a case the projections may be designed as shown at 16 in Figs. 5 and '6. The projections'are provided with sheaths iii of rubber or-some other suitable material. V

The modification shown in Fig. '7 is *in every respect, except one, like the embodiment shown in 'Figs. 1 to 4,'-inclusive. The di fferencelhere shown is that instead of utilizing a sleeve as shown in the first four figures, a spring in is :utilized. By a proper selection of the size-'andthe resilient qualities of the spring I the frictional force for retaining the member "'2 in -'-any-g'-iven position remains substantially constant even though the eyelets 4 and 5 may have becomev worn a considerable extent through use.

Furthermore, by shifting the thumb screw on the bolt 9 adjustments can be made for different sized flashlights. The other modifications I disclosed herein are, however, not necessarily limited to a single sized flashlight, since a mere flexing of the substantially parallel side members, or the projections only, provides a-support for different sized flashlights as long as the variation in dimension is not too great.

The modification shown in Fig. 8 is probably the simplest type of structure that could be devised for accomplishing the novel results of my invention. It will be noted that the base 2i con sists of a single wire loop and that the adjustable.

light supporting or holding member 22 also consists of a single wire loop. The end portions of the base 2| are bent toward each other to be in line and engage each other. If desirable asmay be the case in someinstances, a drop of solder 29 may be utilized to hold the ends 25 in position. The ends may also be spot-welded together. The end portions 25 are further provided with a plurality of bends to provide a waved or undulating effect in the structure. The end portions 24 of the support 22 on the other hand are wound in the form of a helical spring to be disposed over the waved end structures 25. The adjustable member 22 is thus held in any given position by reason of the fact that the waved portion, coacting with the spring-like structure 24, produces a frictional engagement. The frictionalforce is determined by the size of the un-t.

dulations of the structure and the strength, or

weight of the wire used for the base 12-! and the adjustable member 22.

Fig. 10 shows a plate of metal of the sheet type that is provided with a heavy irregular .line 33,

indicating the region at which the plate is to be cut in the process of manufacture to manufacture my adjustable holder for a flashlight. It should be noted that dotted lines arealso shown,

as at 4| and 42, which indicate the places where the material may be flexed or bent to produce the lugs or projections 34 and the legs .43 for the base 3| and the lugs 35 on the member 32 for cooperating with the lugs 34.

The adjustable member 32 has the tabs or pro jections 36 which may be bent into arcuate mem-' bers to conform to the .flashlight structure to frictionally hold the flashlight in the member .32. .A sleeve 31 is disposed intermediately of the lugs 34 and 35 and a bolt 38 is passed through;

the openings in these lugs and the sleeve and is held in position by a .nut 40. By appropriately adjusting the tension in bolt 39 by operation of the nut 40 a frictional force is produced between the engaging parts so that support 32 may be .held in any selected position.

When the member for holding the flashlight is cut from the base 3| a hole is produced in the base having an elliptical portion at the right hand end. structure that may very conveniently be hung on a support, on a hook or nail as may be needed.

This elliptical portion provides aim I am well aware of thefact that the'modifications hereinbefore disclosed are not exhausted in illustrating my invention but that others, after having had the benefit of the teachings of my invention, can devise other structures for accomplishing the results hereinbefore specified. I do not wish to be limited to the specific structures shown but wish only to be limited by the scope of the appended claims and the pertinent prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A flashlight holder comprising a base, a pair of lugs provided with openings projecting at right angles from the base, a generally U-shaped resilient article supporting member having openings at the ends of the U-shaped member adapted to be positioned in alinement with the openings in the lugs, resilient article engaging portions on the U-shaped member adapted to resiliently yet firmly hold the article to be positioned thereon, a bolt adapted to be inserted through the openings of the lugs and spring the ends of the U-shaped member and means for causing frictional engagement between the lugs and the ends of the U-shaped member to hold the article supporting member in any adjusted position with reference to the base.

2. A flashlight holder comprising a single loop of wire provided with a pair of eyelets disposed at right angles to the plane of the loop of wire, a second loop of wire provided with a pair of eyelets adapted to be placed in alinement with the eyelets on the first named loop of wire, securing means passing through the eyelets in the two loops of wire and self-adjustable means for causing a frictional engagement between the two loops of wires, whereby one loop of wire may be disposed at any angle with reference to the other loop of wire.

3. A flashlight holder comprising a base formed of a single piece of material, and having a hole therein and a pair of lugs projecting therei from, a generally U-shaped piece of wire having eyelets at the ends thereof and adapted to engage the lugs projecting from the base, means for holding the lugs and eyelets in engagement, and self-adjusting frictional means for causing the engagement to be by a substantially constant frictional force regardless of the wear of the engaging surfaces so as to permit of an angular adjustment of the piece of wire with reference to the piece of material.

4. A flashlight holder comprising a single piece of wire having the ends bent back against each other, a pair of eyelets formed at the ends thereof and projecting at right angles to the plane of the bent portion of wire, a second generally U- shaped portion of wire provided with eyelets at the ends of the U, a securing member adapted to pass through the eyelets, self adjusting frictional means for holding the U-shaped member in any position of adjustment with reference to the plane of the first named piece of wire, said U-shaped member being provided with a pair of projections near the mid-portion of each leg of the U for frictionally engaging a flashlight.

5. The subject matter of claim 4 in combination with, an arcuate supporting loop at the bight of the U disposed at right angles to the plane of the U whereby the flashlight rests in the arcuate support and is frictionally engaged by said pair of projections.

6. A holder for a flashlight, in combination, a base having an eyelet projecting at right angles to the base, a flashlight holding arm having one eyelet disposed adjacent to the eyelet of the base, and a securing element passing through the eyelets, adjustable resilient means adapted to urge said eyelets toward each other to frictionally secure the arm to the base at the eyelets and to vary the frictional engaging force between the eyelets whereby the arm may be retained in any I angular position with reference to the base.

7. A flashlight holder having a wire formed base provided with an eyelet whose face lies in a plane at right angles with the plane of said base; an adjustable flashlight supporting memher having an eyelet whose face lies parallel and in frictional contact with the eyelet on said base; a bolt passing through both of said eyelets; and a compressing spring mounted on said bolt and adapted to force the faces of said eyelets together whereby said supporting member is firmly secured in any adjusted position.

GRANVILLE F. PACKARD. 

